The Ignorance of a Child
by PancakesAndGilbird
Summary: Kids just don't know when to shut up - especially if that kid is Alfred.


**To those of you reading Strings…I'm really sorry, but it looks as if it will remain uncompleted. I promised myself I wouldn't be one of those writers and thought I wasn't as I was still on a high from finishing Easier Said Than Done. I've lost all confidence in my writing of Strings as I didn't expect it to be so popular and became aware of its flaws.**

**I'm going to stick to one-shots, and hopefully they'll boost my confidence to write another multi-chapter fic one day.**

**I don't own Hetalia. **

"Artie?"

"Yes, America?"

Alfred pouted at the use of his country name, groaned, and continued the important task of swinging in his chair.

"Stop calling me that!"

Arthur sighed and touched his hand gently on little Alfred's shoulders.

"Alfred we're in a world meeting; the professional thing to do in these situations is to call each other by our country names. It keeps our personal and work lives separate."

"That's stupid."

Arthur smiled to himself and drew his eyes back to the notes he had made. The meeting had only just begun and no speaker had yet stepped forward, but Arthur liked to be one step ahead by predicting what everybody planned to say about the particular situation - he was very rarely wrong.

Remembering that Alfred had set out to ask him a question he turned to his colony and asked. Alfred perked up at the attention.

"Oh yeah!"

He pointed to a man standing in the doorway talking to a very shaken Francis.

"Who's that?"

"That's Russia. He's the largest country in the world and has a very cold climate-"

"Yeah yeah I didn't ask for the boring stuff. Why's his nose so big?"

Arthur coloured.

"America that's very rude."

Alfred tilted his head.

"Why?"

"You shouldn't make fun of somebody's appearance."

"Who said I was making fun of it? I just wanted to know why it was that big."

"Well even if you weren't you should be wary of the kind of questions you ask. People have all different types of noses."

"Yeah but I want to know why its so HUGE. Do all people in Russia have noses like that?"

Arthur sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"America that's a whole other can of worms we do not need to go into, especially at a world meeting…"

The matter was dropped when Arthur motioned for a cup of tea from the staff and Alfred was given a cream cake to dig into. Apart from the occasional specks of cream which found its way onto the table and Alfred's cheeks Alfred caused no more fuss for Arthur, to which he was thankful. This thought came to soon when Ivan and Francis proceeded to take the two seats next to them.

Alfred looked to his right and immediately recognised him as the man with the big nose. Arthur watched Alfred with one eye whilst warily keeping the other on Francis. Alfred stuck out his hand.

"Hi! I'm Al- I mean America!"

With a childish smile Ivan shook his hand.

"Hello little America, I'm Russia. You are a new country but I didn't expect you to be so young."

"Hey! I'm way older than I look! I'm the hero, I don't need to be as big as you."

Ivan patted America's head harder than he meant to (he hoped) and took out his notebook and began to write. Alfred tugged the sleeve of his jacket. Ivan sighed and put his smile back on.

"Yes?"

"Why's your nose so big?"

The nations nearest became deathly quiet as Arthur paled then put his head in his hands.

"Little America why do you ask such questions so carelessly?"

Alfred in his oblivious nature failed to notice the ominous aura that came from his new friend.

"I've never seen a nose as big as yours. Is it real? Oh! Are you like Pinocchio? You must tell a lot of lies to have a nose that big."

Before things could get ugly Arthur scooped Alfred out of the path of Ivan's pipe and placed him between Francis and himself so Alfred could use the side of their seats to sit on.

"ALFRED."

"…What?"

Arthur drew his face near and bunched up his eyebrows.

"I told you not to ask questions like that. Children have no tact…"

"But Mr. Russia doesn't seem upset. Look he's smiling!"

Arthur and Francis peered around to see that Ivan was indeed smiling. Not a good smile. A shiver went down their spines.

"America, if you promise to be quiet France will buy you lunch."

Alfred beamed and tightly sealed his lips. Francis casually slipped an arm over Arthur's shoulders as Alfred looked excitedly around at all the new people entering the room .

"Mon lapin I didn't realise you wanted to have lunch with me so bad~"

Arthur blushed as he shrugged out of Francis's grasp.

" It means nothing of the sort, frog. Alfred eats a lot despite his stature and I don't fancy footing the bill for once."

"Ohohon~ What will I get in return?"

"A kick in the balls if you keep this up!"

He held his head in his hands.

_I'm surrounded by idiots…_

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**I've been wanting to write a little Alfred fic for so long~ **

**Reviews will be cherished and I ALWAYS write back! A review only takes about 20 seconds.**


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